J! in the Media

[This Is Kirk!]

https://www.theringer.com/tv/2023/5/2/2 ... y-champion
Article on Barbara Lowe

Glad someone finally got Lowe Vollick on the record to tell her side of things. More good reporting by Claire McNear.

On the other hand, memory-based representations by any party in this matter some 37 years after the fact should be taken with a grain of salt. Slights and reactions get amplified or attenuated by memory with the passage of time and grasps of facts not well understood to begin with only get worse with nothing to correct them. Even the recordings of the shows and the paperwork, such as it exists, are imperfect records. The shows may have been edited. What we do know for sure are (1) that what was broadcast would not be especially out of the ordinary today in terms of displays of personality and emotion, which the show feeds on and encourages with its participation in viral marketing, and (2) Alex hugged Barbara, which would have been unusual even then, and which he would not have been required to do if, indeed, he was displeased with anything she did to the point of disliking her. We may never know the truth of what really happened, but at least the story has both sides out there now.

The fact that in nearly forty years she seems to be the only contestant who was effectively black balled from the show makes me a bit suspicious.

Jeff Kirby adjusts his tie and says, "Hold my beer."

Yeah, well I don't think there's any question where Mr. Kirby ran afoul. Same for Slowik, obviously. I don't buy that J! just decided they didn't like Barbara Lowe for no good reason, other than intestinal troubles.

[Bamaman]

I don’t know if Kirby is blackballed. He snuck on a second time and got caught. It would have been interesting to see what would have happened if he won that second game and how TPTB would have handled it. He was busted on here as soon as his game aired but they’d have had a mess if he had won several games or more.

[Robert K S]

I don’t know if Kirby is blackballed. He snuck on a second time and got caught. It would have been interesting to see what would have happened if he won that second game and how TPTB would have handled it. He was busted on here as soon as his game aired but they’d have had a mess if he had won several games or more.

There's no reason to think things would have gone differently had Kirby won games. He competed ineligibly. Ergo, no winnings or return invitations for him.

[This Is Kirk!]

I don’t know if Kirby is blackballed. He snuck on a second time and got caught. It would have been interesting to see what would have happened if he won that second game and how TPTB would have handled it. He was busted on here as soon as his game aired but they’d have had a mess if he had won several games or more.

There's no reason to think things would have gone differently had Kirby won games. He competed ineligibly. Ergo, no winnings or return invitations for him.

The difference would involve those whom he competed against. If he'd won they'd all have a legit claim to be invited back.

[Bamaman]

I don’t know if Kirby is blackballed. He snuck on a second time and got caught. It would have been interesting to see what would have happened if he won that second game and how TPTB would have handled it. He was busted on here as soon as his game aired but they’d have had a mess if he had won several games or more.

There's no reason to think things would have gone differently had Kirby won games. He competed ineligibly. Ergo, no winnings or return invitations for him.

The difference would involve those whom he competed against. If he'd won they'd all have a legit claim to be invited back.

That’s what I was getting at. Also, if he won ten games but got busted after his first game, the producers have a lot of egg on their face with an ineligible player on for the next ten games.

[Robert K S]

I don't think he could have played more than one game, what with no change of tie. [Rimshot]

The repeat tie meant that he wouldn't even have had a ship of Theseus defense. [Bongos rimshot]

[squarekara]

I want the feature film version about the plucky investigative reporter who dares to venture down a "Jeopardy! rabbit hole" teeming with colorful characters.

[Trevor807]

I'd pay to see that. For Mike Richards, I believe Bob Odenkirk can capture his pure sleaze, ambition, and cardboard-personality hosting nicely. Odenkirk even kinda looks like Richards.

[Anachronism]

Mayim Bialik will not finish season 39
https://nypost.com/2023/05/11/mayim-bia ... king-over/

I don't know if we're not supposed to comment on this, but on behalf of those of us who still hope to someday get the call (yeah, right, in my case), I want to thank Ken personally for taking the last week of the current season. That's ten more people who get to follow their dream.

As for Mayim, I understand her loyalty and how she'd frame the issue given her long career as an actress. But I think she's in the wrong here. It makes me feel that she'll never truly get this show, and I think she's done a good job - better than most would - but isn't making progress on the hosting issues that we've criticized in the past (the weird pauses after contestant answers being the biggest).

[This Is Kirk!]

Mayim Bialik will not finish season 39
https://nypost.com/2023/05/11/mayim-bia ... king-over/

I don't know if we're not supposed to comment on this, but on behalf of those of us who still hope to someday get the call (yeah, right, in my case), I want to thank Ken personally for taking the last week of the current season. That's ten more people who get to follow their dream.

As for Mayim, I understand her loyalty and how she'd frame the issue given her long career as an actress. But I think she's in the wrong here. It makes me feel that she'll never truly get this show

I have to disagree. I'm happy that Mayim is showing support for the union. I'm actually somewhat surprised Ken will host, although he probably doesn't have much clout here not being in SAG. I don't think the show would fire him over taking a stance that he won't cross the picket line, but they probably could if they wanted to.

And I do appreciate your sentiment about giving more people an opportunity to get on the show, but I think the writers' livelihood trumps ten people getting on a game show.

[Anachronism]

Mayim Bialik will not finish season 39
https://nypost.com/2023/05/11/mayim-bia ... king-over/

I don't know if we're not supposed to comment on this, but on behalf of those of us who still hope to someday get the call (yeah, right, in my case), I want to thank Ken personally for taking the last week of the current season. That's ten more people who get to follow their dream.

As for Mayim, I understand her loyalty and how she'd frame the issue given her long career as an actress. But I think she's in the wrong here. It makes me feel that she'll never truly get this show

I have to disagree. I'm happy that Mayim is showing support for the union. I'm actually somewhat surprised Ken will host, although he probably doesn't have much clout here not being in SAG. I don't think the show would fire him over taking a stance that he won't cross the picket line, but they probably could if they wanted to.

And I do appreciate your sentiment about giving more people an opportunity to get on the show, but I think the writers' livelihood trumps ten people getting on a game show.

Your avatar indicates a completely different perspective from mine. But isn't this more than just a game show? Isn't it more a phenomenon for the average schlump who can't jump up and down or deck out like an '80s rock star?

I don't want to knock the writers. If, in fact, the question writers are in this union, I get why the show might be delayed down the road. Even if I don't agree with the premise. I do not think ChatGPT can replace good writing. People say it can write code, which is what I do, but a customer showed me what it looked like when it wrote something that might be part of what I do, and it was not threatening in the least, which is an understatement.

I think the threat is overrated and whatever can be replaced - they'll probably get what they deserve (plus all the justifiable lawsuits over what's used to train the algorithm).

[alietr]

I think Mayim is right to honor the strike. And with all of the tournaments, it's clear that TPTB don't care a rat's tushy about 10 more people making their dream come true.

[This Is Kirk!]

But isn't this more than just a game show?

To us it is. I suspect to most people working on the show it's just a job like any other job.

[OrchidEntity]

I want the feature film version about the plucky investigative reporter who dares to venture down a "Jeopardy! rabbit hole" teeming with colorful characters.

Not a feature film, but I've heard about a short documentary called Wise Guys that was aired on PBS in the late 80s that involved the finalists of the second Tournament of Champions.

Also, trying to Google "jeopardy wise guys" mostly led to results about James Holzhauer. I suppose he could warrant his own feature film.

[econgator]

I think Mayim is right to honor the strike. And with all of the tournaments, it's clear that TPTB don't care a rat's tushy about 10 more people making their dream come true.

I certainly have no problem with Mayim's or Ken's stance. So long as he's using already-written boards (and I think that's the case), then big whoop. If he were the one writing/assisting on new, unwritten ones, then that would be a different story.

[Bamaman]

Mayim Bialik will not finish season 39
https://nypost.com/2023/05/11/mayim-bia ... king-over/

I don't know if we're not supposed to comment on this, but on behalf of those of us who still hope to someday get the call (yeah, right, in my case), I want to thank Ken personally for taking the last week of the current season. That's ten more people who get to follow their dream.

As for Mayim, I understand her loyalty and how she'd frame the issue given her long career as an actress. But I think she's in the wrong here. It makes me feel that she'll never truly get this show

I have to disagree. I'm happy that Mayim is showing support for the union. I'm actually somewhat surprised Ken will host, although he probably doesn't have much clout here not being in SAG. I don't think the show would fire him over taking a stance that he won't cross the picket line, but they probably could if they wanted to.

And I do appreciate your sentiment about giving more people an opportunity to get on the show, but I think the writers' livelihood trumps ten people getting on a game show.

Wouldn’t Ken be in SAG due to his cameo on Mayim’s sitcom?

[Volante]

Wouldn’t Ken be in SAG due to his cameo on Mayim’s sitcom?

Exceptions can be made, I don't think Stephen Hawking joined an acting guild, but I dunno. Buck Showalter apparently had to become a SAG member for his Seinfeld cameo: https://www.mlb.com/news/buck-showalter ... -mets-game

[floridagator]

Wouldn’t Ken be in SAG due to his cameo on Mayim’s sitcom?

Exceptions can be made, I don't think Stephen Hawking joined an acting guild, but I dunno. Buck Showalter apparently had to become a SAG member for his Seinfeld cameo: https://www.mlb.com/news/buck-showalter ... -mets-game

I believe you can play yourself without joining the union. If you've ever watched Saturday Night Live, whenever they have a celebrity host who isn't an actor, all that celebrity does is play himself or herself. Michael Jordan the first time he hosted even.

[floridagator]

This is heating up
https://www.tvinsider.com/1093201/jeopa ... rs-strike/

[Bamaman]

This is heating up
https://www.tvinsider.com/1093201/jeopa ... rs-strike/

Did he have the same comments about the camera people, etc who also crossed the picket line?

It would have been interesting if he had won the celebrity tournament and would be in the TOC with Ken.